WD: "Cannot Print" Error When You Click Print on the File Menu

• Microsoft Word for the Macintosh, versions 5.1, 6.0, 6.0.1

SYMPTOMS

If your LaserWriter 8 Preferences file is deleted or missing when you click Print on the File menu in Word for the Macintosh, one of the error messages listed in the following table will be displayed.

   Version        Error Message                 Notes
   ----------------------------------------------------------------------

   Word 6.0       Word cannot print. Please     If you switch to the
                  select a printer from the     Chooser without quitting
                  Chooser.                      Word and select a
                                                printer, you will still
                                                not be able to print from
                                                Word.

                                                Also, the Page Setup
                                                command on the File menu
                                                is unavailable when your
                                                LaserWriter 8 Preferences
                                                file is missing.

   Word 5.1       The Laserwriter 8.0           This error also occurs if
                  preferences file may be       you choose Page Setup
                  missing or damaged.           from the File menu.

                  Please go to the Chooser and
                  re-select your printer.

WORKAROUNDS

To work around this problem, follow the appropriate procedure for your version of Word.

Word 6.0

Quit Word, switch to the Chooser, select a printer, and then restart Word. The Page Setup and Print commands should now be available on the File menu, and the error message should no longer occur.

Word 5.1

Switch to the Chooser and reselect the printer. Return to Word, where you should now be able to print without further problems.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the above versionts of Word for the Macintosh. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.